Photocatalytic Degradation of Microplastics in Aquatic Environments : Materials, Mechanisms, Practical Challenges, and Future Perspectives
Yeszhan, Yelriza ; Bexeitova, Kalampyr ; Yermekbayev, Samgat ; Toktarbay, Zhexenbek ; Lee, Jechan ; Berndtsson, Ronny LU
and Azat, Seitkhan
(2025)
In Water (Switzerland)
17(14).
- Abstract
Due to its persistence and potential negative effects on ecosystems and human health, microplastic pollution in aquatic environments has become a major worldwide concern. Photocatalytic degradation is a sustainable manner to degrade microplastics to non-toxic by-products. In this review, comprehensive discussion focuses on the synergistic effects of various photocatalytic materials including TiO2, ZnO, WO3, graphene oxide, and metal–organic frameworks for producing heterojunctions and involving multidimensional nanostructures. Such mechanisms can include the generation of reactive oxygen species and polymer chain scission, which can lead to microplastic breakdown and mineralization. The advancements of material... (More)
Due to its persistence and potential negative effects on ecosystems and human health, microplastic pollution in aquatic environments has become a major worldwide concern. Photocatalytic degradation is a sustainable manner to degrade microplastics to non-toxic by-products. In this review, comprehensive discussion focuses on the synergistic effects of various photocatalytic materials including TiO2, ZnO, WO3, graphene oxide, and metal–organic frameworks for producing heterojunctions and involving multidimensional nanostructures. Such mechanisms can include the generation of reactive oxygen species and polymer chain scission, which can lead to microplastic breakdown and mineralization. The advancements of material modifications in the (nano)structure of photocatalysts, doping, and heterojunction formation methods to promote UV and visible light-driven photocatalytic activity is discussed in this paper. Reactor designs, operational parameters, and scalability for practical applications are also reviewed. Photocatalytic systems have shown a lot of development but are hampered by shortcomings which include a lack of complete mineralization and production of intermediary secondary products; variability in performance due to the fluctuation in the intensity of solar light, limited UV light, and environmental conditions such as weather and the diurnal cycle. Future research involving multifunctional, environmentally benign photocatalytic techniques—e.g., doped composites or composite-based catalysts that involve adsorption, photocatalysis, and magnetic retrieval—are proposed to focus on the mechanism of utilizing light effectively and the environmental safety, which are necessary for successful operational and industrial-scale remediation.
(Less)
- author
- Yeszhan, Yelriza
; Bexeitova, Kalampyr
; Yermekbayev, Samgat
; Toktarbay, Zhexenbek
; Lee, Jechan
; Berndtsson, Ronny
LU
and Azat, Seitkhan
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-07
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- advanced oxidation processes, environmental remediation, metal–organic frameworks, photocatalysis, plastic pollution
- in
- Water (Switzerland)
- volume
- 17
- issue
- 14
- article number
- 2139
- publisher
- MDPI AG
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105011655617
- ISSN
- 2073-4441
- DOI
- 10.3390/w17142139
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2025 by the authors.
- id
- 3daba376-dedb-4a04-95f6-69dfc94347ab
- date added to LUP
- 2025-08-13 13:19:23
- date last changed
- 2025-08-22 12:17:19
@article{3daba376-dedb-4a04-95f6-69dfc94347ab,
abstract = {{<p>Due to its persistence and potential negative effects on ecosystems and human health, microplastic pollution in aquatic environments has become a major worldwide concern. Photocatalytic degradation is a sustainable manner to degrade microplastics to non-toxic by-products. In this review, comprehensive discussion focuses on the synergistic effects of various photocatalytic materials including TiO<sub>2</sub>, ZnO, WO<sub>3</sub>, graphene oxide, and metal–organic frameworks for producing heterojunctions and involving multidimensional nanostructures. Such mechanisms can include the generation of reactive oxygen species and polymer chain scission, which can lead to microplastic breakdown and mineralization. The advancements of material modifications in the (nano)structure of photocatalysts, doping, and heterojunction formation methods to promote UV and visible light-driven photocatalytic activity is discussed in this paper. Reactor designs, operational parameters, and scalability for practical applications are also reviewed. Photocatalytic systems have shown a lot of development but are hampered by shortcomings which include a lack of complete mineralization and production of intermediary secondary products; variability in performance due to the fluctuation in the intensity of solar light, limited UV light, and environmental conditions such as weather and the diurnal cycle. Future research involving multifunctional, environmentally benign photocatalytic techniques—e.g., doped composites or composite-based catalysts that involve adsorption, photocatalysis, and magnetic retrieval—are proposed to focus on the mechanism of utilizing light effectively and the environmental safety, which are necessary for successful operational and industrial-scale remediation.</p>}},
author = {{Yeszhan, Yelriza and Bexeitova, Kalampyr and Yermekbayev, Samgat and Toktarbay, Zhexenbek and Lee, Jechan and Berndtsson, Ronny and Azat, Seitkhan}},
issn = {{2073-4441}},
keywords = {{advanced oxidation processes; environmental remediation; metal–organic frameworks; photocatalysis; plastic pollution}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{14}},
publisher = {{MDPI AG}},
series = {{Water (Switzerland)}},
title = {{Photocatalytic Degradation of Microplastics in Aquatic Environments : Materials, Mechanisms, Practical Challenges, and Future Perspectives}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w17142139}},
doi = {{10.3390/w17142139}},
volume = {{17}},
year = {{2025}},
}